The Anambra State Government in collaboration with the European Union Rule of Law and Anti Corruption (EU ROLAC) has inaugurated members of the Anti Corruption Committee with members drawn from different Ministries in the State Civil Service.
Inaugurating the 84 members at the Office of the Head of Service (HOS), the HOS, Barr. Theodora Okwy Igwegbe urged the Committee members to live up to expectations as the fight against corruption must be won.
She reminded the members that each of them as strategically chosen was to ensure that corrupt practices were totally eradicated from the Civil Service.
The Civil Service boss who is also the Chairman of the Steering Committee of Anti Corruption Committee noted that it behoves on members to ensure that corruption is sniffed out and reported so that necessary punitive measures could be taken against the perpetrators.
She, then, assured EU ROLAC that the programme would be sustained in the state knowing that the state government has zero tolerance for corrupt practices.
Speaking during the inauguration, the State Coordinator of EU ROLAC, Mrs. Josephine Onah outlined the roles of the group which included working towards the eradication of indiscipline and corrupt practices within the service.
Onah noted that with a drastic reduction in corruption, our state would become a first choice investment destination and a one stop shop for investors.
She admonished them to eschew any form of compromise and encouraged them to always follow organisational framework, reporting issues first to the ANSACS Secretariat which would review and then move the case on to the Steering Committee for commensurate disciplinary action.
Mrs. Onah also noted that periodic checks by the Monitoring and Evaluation Committee were made up of State Actors and Civil Society Organizations.
Earlier in their remarks, the Head of ANSACS Secretariat, Barr. Tessy Obuekwe and a member of the ANSAC Secretariat, Barr. Lilian Oguji described corruption as not doing things the right way; they enlightened the Committee Members on their roles.
They, then, charged members of the Anti-Corruption Committee to eschew any form of corrupt practices as they take the lead in the fight against corruption in the State Civil Service.
Also present at the inauguration were the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Justice and the Solicitor General of Anambra State, Barr. Ngozi Iwuno, Heads of Departments and Heads of Units from various Ministries and Agencies
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said it has no intention to subvert provisions of the Electoral Act 2022 on the electronic transmission of results.
Barrister Festus Okoye, National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, made the clarification in a statement at the weekend.
His declaration was on the heels of a story by a national newspaper (not Nigerian Tribune) attributed to him that results of next year’s general elections would be collated manually, despite the legislation on electronic transmission of results.
Okoye in his statement maintained that “electronic transmission of result has come to stay. It adds to the credibility and transparency of the process when citizens follow polling unit-level results on the INEC Result Viewing (IReV) portal in real-time on Election Day. There will be no change or deviation in subsequent elections.”
He further clarified that his explanation to the national newspaper was about manual collation, not transmission in line with certain provisions of the Electoral Act.
His statement reads in part:” The Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) attention has been drawn to a misunderstanding arising from a recent short interview granted to a national newspaper on the procedure for result management during elections. Some have interpreted the explanation of the result management procedure to mean that the Commission has jettisoned the electronic transmission of results and reverted to the manual process. This is not correct.
“For clarity, the procedure for result transmission remains the same as in recent Governorship elections in Ekiti and Osun States. There will be no change in all future elections, including the 2023 General Election.
“We wish to reassure Nigerians that the electronic transmission of results has come to stay. It adds to the credibility and transparency of the process when citizens follow polling unit-level results on the INEC Result Viewing (IReV) portal on real-time on Election Day. There will be no change or deviation in subsequent elections.
“The entire gamut of result management is provided for in Sections 60, 62 and 64 of the Electoral Act 2022. In line with the provision of the law, the Commission, in April this year, released a detailed clarification of the procedure for transmission, collation and declaration of result which was shared with all stakeholders and uploaded to our website.
“We appeal to all Nigerians to avail themselves of the provisions of the Electoral Act and the Commission’s detailed explanation of the procedure and not reach a conclusion on the basis of media headlines.”
The Independent National Electoral Commission has said the collation of results of the 2023 general elections will be done manually despite the adoption of electronic transmission of results.
INEC’s National Commissioner and Chairman of its Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye, stressed that the commission would transmit results from polling units to its result-viewing portal, IReV, as witnessed in recent elections, but that the Electoral Act was clear on how collation should be done.
Okoye said in an interview with our correspondent on Saturday, “There is a marked difference between the transfer/transmission of results and the collation of results. Section 50(2) of the Electoral Act, 2022 gives the commission the absolute discretion to determine the mode and procedure of voting in an election and the transmission of election results.
“Sections 60 and 62 of the Electoral Act govern post-election procedure and collation of election results. Section 60(1) of the Act provides that the presiding officer shall, after counting the votes at a polling unit, enter the votes scored by each candidate in a form to be prescribed by the commission.
Section 60(5) of the Act makes it mandatory that the presiding officer shall transfer the results, including total number of accredited voters and the results of the ballot in a manner prescribed by the commission. Thereafter, the presiding officer shall after recording and announcing the results deliver the same along with election materials under security and accompanied by the candidates or their polling agents, where available to such person as may be prescribed by the commission.
“The implication of this is that the collation process of results is still essentially manual, but the collation officer must collate subject to his verification and confirmation that the number of accredited voters stated on the collated result are correct and consistent with the number of accredited voters recorded and transmitted directly from polling units.”
He explained that while the collation of results would “essentially” be done manually, where there was a dispute regarding a collated result or the result from any polling unit, the collation or returning officer would use the original of the disputed collated result, accreditation data from the BVAS device and the results transmitted directly from the polling unit to determine the correctness of the result.
Good Governance Ministry,the first political Ministry in Nigeria has applauded Prof Soludo administration for making moves to update the records of the Poor and Vulnerable Households in the various communities in Anambra State.
In a memo from Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning addressed to the Chairman ,ASATU, Government requested for a comprehensive list of the following from all the communities within Anambra State;
1. Elderly People without Support
2.Households without means of livelihood
3. Physically Challenged with or without Support
4. Victims of Natural disasters / accidents
5. Orphans without Support
6. Widows without Support
7.Persons without shelter.
The memo further directed that the list will be generated by households only and such households must be indigenes from Anambra State and those permanently living in the State.
GGM being one of the support groups that convinced the masses to vote for Prof Soludo is excited that the renowned Professor of Economics has shown that Government cares for the poor and Vulnerable. No society can advance without reliable data and this is only the starting point and a step in the right direction.
However, GGM expects Mr Governor to also update the records of unemployed and underemployed individuals in the State as well as reviewing the workers salaries in line with economic realities .
With right public policies and economic reform,the State Resources can be optimally utilized and allocated to maximize social welfare . The State Government can mobilize millions of unemployed youths to be productive in food production . GGM noted that our abundant human and material resources are still underemployed and underutilized.
GGM is, also happy with Prof Soludo administration in the areas of security ,due processes and merit as basis for employment into Government work.
This is only a new beginning.
Ndubuisi Anaenugwu writes for Good Governance Ministry
Governor of Anambra State ,Professor Chukwuma Soludo says his administration will begin implementation of the state Anti-Open Grazing Law next month.
Governor Soludo stated this during a meeting with members of Anambra State Cattle Menace Committee, held at the Government House, Awka.
The former Governor of Anambra State, Willie Obiano on October 22, 2021, assented to the Cattle and Other Livestock Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Bill.
The bill, entitled ‘Anambra State Open Grazing of Cattle and other Livestock Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Bill 2021’, was passed after third reading at plenary by the members of the House of Assembly on Tuesday, 12th October, 2021.
According to the Governor, though the law has been in existence since almost one year, cattle rearers keep parading certain areas in the state in contravention of the law.
While applauding members of the Committee for their dedication to duty, the Governor said that Anambra promotes social harmony with everyone, including cattle rearers but the make clear that they must as other business owners in the state operate within the existing laws.
He explained that because his administration has launched initiatives to encourage tree planting, there is not enough land to accommodate open grazing.
Governor Soludo pointed out that the initiative was geared towards salvaging the Anambra environment from erosion which is fast depleting the scarce land, urging them to consider gradual implementation of ranching as a modern way of cattle rearing because of its numerous advantages and money-making potential.
Governor Chukwuma Charles Soludo, CFR, received earlier today, Mr Peter Obi, former Governor of Anambra State and Presidential candidate of the Labour Party at the Governor’s Lodge, Amawbia
Both leaders had a mutual discussion behind closed doors. Afterwards, Mr Peter Obi commended Governor Soludo highly for the great job he is doing in Anambra State.
Governor Soludo on the other hand, welcomed Mr Peter Obi to Anambra as a prominent son of the State and wished him well on his Presidential bid as the Presidential candidate of the Labour Party
A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP and governorship candidate of the party in the Anambra November 2021 election, Valentine Ozigbo has dumped the party for the Labour Party(LP).
Chief Ozigbo who was an Aspirant in the Anambra South Senatorial election made the announcement in a statement on his Facebook page on Thursday evening.
In the statement titled “2023: A Watershed Moment For Nigeria”, the former governorship candidate said the nation has suffered untold hardship and insecurity under the leadership of president Muhammadu Buhari.
He said the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, has failed in all its campaign promises to Nigerians as it has pushed the country to the brinks.
Under the incumbent president, Nigerians have suffered untold hardships. Never in this country’s storied history has it been decimated and devastated by a government as it has been under General Muhammadu Buhari’s All Progressive Congress (APC)
Our economy has practically crumbled before our eyes. Disunity and suspicion now define the fabric of our country. Obscene levels of corruption and looting continue to dominate our news headlines. Terrorists, bandits, robbers, kidnappers, ritualists, and cultists now operate openly and without fear of law enforcement. Infrastructure across the country has been left to decay. Our social safety systems have all collapsed”, he said.
Ozigbo hailed the youths of Nigeria for standing up to take over the nation and rejecting politicians who out of love for power has refused to go into retirement.
He said, “Fuelled by an undying love for country and a burning passion for changing Nigeria, the youth have risen boldly and intentionally to get their voices heard. They have rejected the lust for power of politicians that ought to be in retirement. They have consciously chosen who they want to lead them into the next four years.
In taking a stand, the Nigerian youth have done what their grandfathers have refused to do. They considered fairness, justice, and equity. They embraced the path of unity for Nigeria. They have adopted a bold vision of a country where every kind of Nigerian is carried along irrespective of beliefs, faith, tribe, language, gender, and social status. They are committed to seeing that peace returns to Nigeria and that we experience the true promise of our founding fathers.
This magical movement, a youth-driven political revolution, is inspired by the candidacy of Peter Obi, a modern-day leader who we can all believe in.
“Our country has never seen this level of passion in the youth. Instead of criticism and unfair attacks, these courageous and gifted youth deserve the support and encouragement of all Nigerians.
The Obi-dient Movement cannot be ignored, shamed, or waved away. It is the fastest growing and biggest political movement in Nigeria today. The forces that have imprisoned the dreams of the younger generations of this country are terrified because they know the unstoppable power of the youth”.
Announcing his support for Peter Obi, Ozigbo said, “Pulled by the brilliance of the candidacy of Peter Obi and Yusuf Datti, inspired by the passion of the Nigerian youth, and driven by an undying love for Nigeria, I, Valentine Ozigbo, at this moment, formally join the Obi-dient Movement”.
The Anambra business mogul said he has briefed the presidential candidate of the PDP, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar of his decision to quit the party adding that he assured him of his abiding love and respect for him as a father, a leader, and a friend.
He is one of the most meticulous personality I’ve met in my life, says the professor
Could you please tell us a little about yourself?
Well, my name is Chinyere Stella Okunna. I’m a Professor of Mass Communication. I am the first female professor of Mass Communication in Nigeria and in sub-Saharan Africa. I began teaching Journalism at IMT (Institute of Management Technology), Enugu. I’m sure you know IMT?
Yes, I do.
From there I went to UNIZIK (Nnamdi Azikiwe University), and that was years ago and while teaching in UNIZIK, I was appointed commissioner by Peter Obi, and I took a leave of absence from the university. I was there for eight years, and the funny thing is that when the appointment came, I didn’t even know him. I never met him. The first time I met him was at the swearing-in ceremony. I mean our swearing-in ceremony.
Wait Madam, you did not meet him until your swearing-in ceremony?
I’ll tell you. I didn’t meet him until that day.
Tell me something here. How did Mr. Obi find you and how was your first interaction with him?
(Laughs) He said he saw my CV and I don’t even know who gave it to him. He must have seen my CV somewhere. He said he saw my CV as he was trying to assemble a team of people who were going to work with him. You know in Nigeria, when politicians are in power, they usually appoint people they know. But that is not Peter Obi. He said when he saw my CV, he knew, ‘this woman is good and must work with me.’ I didn’t know him like I told you. It was at the swearing-in ceremony that I saw him for the first time.
You mean you accepted an appointment from someone you did not know just like that?
I almost said no. I was terrified. I’m sure you know in Nigeria when you are either the commissioner for information or the minister of information, if your boss doesn’t do well as governor or as president, woe betide you, you’re finished. This is because you’re going to become a propagandist. You will begin to lie to cover up his deficiencies.
I knew as a professor of mass communication; he was most likely going to appoint me as commissioner for information and I was frightened and almost said no. It was colleagues and family members who said, ‘go in there and give it a shot’ and I went. And that was because I didn’t know him. I didn’t know whether he was going to do well. I didn’t know whether I was going to be turned into a liar and a propagandist. After the encouragement of colleagues and family, I told myself, ‘Okay, go there and do your best and if he doesn’t do well, you can leave.’ Let me tell you something and maybe on a lighter note… (laughs). After we were sworn in, one day I walked into his office with a copy of one of the subjects I teach as a journalism educator. It was a book on the ‘Ethics of Mass Communication,’ which I taught for years.
Laughs out loud) I walked into his office that day and he was looking at me. I said, ‘Your Excellency, I don’t know you and you don’t even know me. Let me just tell you, I’m not going to lie for you… If you don’t do well, I will not lie for you.’ As I said that, I gave a copy of my book, which I had already autographed to him and said, ‘This is my teaching area and if you don’t do well, I’m not going to lie for you.’ He laughed (she laughs too). He was startled somehow and said he was going to do well. I said ok, I’ll give it a shot. You know Nigerians hardly resign from appointments?
Yes, I know about that
Most of the things people do in government is driven by greed. People are there no matter how badly the governor or the president or their boss is doing. They stick in there because of the money. So, that was how we began. I was apprehensive until we began to work. He struck out his vision and it made sense to me and when we began working, you know information. I wasn’t comfortable in that job because the man didn’t want us to talk about what he was doing. He was doing quite well despite all the challenges. He was impeached. The house of assembly was filled with people in the opposition party. They were from the PDP (Peoples Democratic Party).
He had nobody in the house of assembly. So, it was a very tough assignment for him. But somehow, he was doing well. He had a brilliant vision. He had a strategy for living that vision. So, we began working and I began to relax. When we came in sometime in 2006, or thereabouts, there were so many challenges. Anambra was such a fractious place. We didn’t even settle down to work before his impeachment and removal from office because of money issues. The second removal was in 2007 when they had an election when his tenure wasn’t over yet. He went to court. People thought he was going to waste his time. Eventually, he came back, and we began working sometime in 2008. But I’m telling you he did well.
Let me ask you a question here. He was removed about two times, right?
Yes, that is true. First, he won the election, and he was not even declared and so he went to court and got his mandate. That was number one. I’m sure you know that he won the election in 2003, and somebody else was declared the winner.
Tell me about it, Ma’am.
He was. And yes, he went to court for three years and more.
Were you aware when he was in court after the 2003 election?
No, I didn’t know him at all. I didn’t know him before we came into the office. He had won the election in 2003. I’m sure you’ve heard about this.
Yes, I did.
They swore in Chris Ngige of the PDP at the time. Then he (Obi) went to court to recover his mandate. He was in court for three years. So, from 2003 he was in court until 2006, that was when he recovered the mandate and came into office as governor. So, when I saw that the vision was okay, I’m sure you know at that time the world was trying to implement the MDGs (Millennium Development Goals). He adopted the MDGs as his vision and each time people asked him, he said he looked at the MDGs programme and saw that they contained all he wanted to do for Anambra State. You know MDGs had eight goals? And those eight goals delivered dividends of democracy
So, you mean that he used the MDGs as his blueprint?
He developed a strategy called ANIDS (Anambra Integrated Development Strategy) which was also multi-sectoral and adopted the MDGs and began to implement them in all the sectors. He was delivering the MDGs in all the sectors. Honestly it was an awesome, awesome government. I’m not saying this because I was part of it.
I don’t want you to sound as if you’re doing praise and worship. This is a serious interview.
(Laughs out loud) Okay. Let me tell you. Let me tell you… You know I began as commissioner for information?
That was what I found out while researching you.
We started in 2006 and by early 2009, he said that I was a very meticulous planner and that he was going to take me away from information and put me somewhere else and I said, ‘look at me, I’m a Professor of Communication, where will you put me that I will be relevant?’ And as we were talking, he created a new ministry of planning and budget by merging planning and budget and made me commissioner. While still working there, he made me the Chairman of the MDGs Implementation Committee. Achieving the MDGs was his vision, remember?
You said so
I was made the Chairman of the Implementation Committee and that was from 2009. He removed me from information, even our Anglican bishop and some of our priests were saying, ‘This is the one person we have in the government that was visible, how can he change her? What is Economic Planning? Nobody ever heard about that kind of plan, and they are taking this woman away from a very high-profile ministry and they are putting her in a dead place.’
You mean religious coloration also came into it?
They said it was very obscure… ‘What is planning? What is Economic Planning? How can they remove this woman?’ People were even saying it was a demotion. A Professor of Mass Communication moved from information at that time. I think he sent one of his frontline commissioners and said, ‘Go and tell those that are talking that if they know where this woman is going to, they’ll calm down.’
I told the man, ‘Well, I’ll go and give it a trial, if it doesn’t work, I will leave. As a professor I can always return to the classroom.’ Immediately after that, the next exco meeting or thereabout, he created this new ministry that he took from Economic Planning and added Budget to it. At that time, we were a very poor state. Many people were very wealthy but as a state, we were not oil producing, and IGR (Internally Generated Revenue) was very low. As soon as he (Obi) came in, all the bad blood in Anambra ceased, so to say. He brought back peace. There was restorability to good governance. He brought back tranquility, and so, the donor agencies that had left the state all came back. By the time we left, virtually every development agency globally was working in Anambra State. All of them. So, they brought in their money, and I tell you, every single kobo was used.
They trusted him with the money, and he delivered the dividends of democracy and accounted for every single kobo he collected. At one point, he made me the Co-ordinating Commissioner for Development Partnership. You know the MDGs programme was a partnership between the state and Federal Government? So, I was coordinating development partners in UNICEF, European Union, World Bank, DFID (Department for International Development), you name them. They were all there, bringing in their money and he was managing the money well. I was also eventually made the Chief of Staff. It was an awesome experience, but you know our boss. He was such a frugal person. Upon all those names na one salary o (laughs). But we worked because we…, people like me believed in his vision. And after the first term, he was re-elected by, I will call it a landslide. By the time we left, Anambra had been elevated to the top of everything. For instance, when we began, Anambra State was the lowest in education. If you see what we met in the educational sector – dilapidated classrooms, very poor performance, we were about 24 or 26 in NECO, you know NECO?
I do please.
The same was the case with WAEC. Our students were performing so badly, and morale was low. He (Obi) began to take education up and eventually he partnered with the churches. That partnership really did wonders in the education sector and the health sector, and before we knew it, Anambra rose from the 24th or 26th position to number 1 in external exams – NECO and WAEC. He equipped schools. We renovated old buildings. We built hundreds of classrooms in every community and teachers were motivated. The students rallied, rose to the occasion. Anambra became number 1 in education.
And he gave back schools to the missions. You know that after the Civil War; I don’t know how old you’re, but I’m sure you were not born then. There was a time after the war, the Federal Government took over all mission schools. It was mission schools in those days that were doing well. When they took away the schools from them, it demoralised members of the churches and the schools collapsed academically, in discipline, and morally. So, what His Excellency did was to return the schools to the missions, and I tell you it was a battle at our exco meeting. Even his commissioners rejected it, NUT (Nigeria Union of Teachers) rejected it outrightly saying how can he do this? But eventually, he is a very strong-willed person. He went ahead and returned the schools. Come and see the progress. With the partnership with the churches, education went to the heights. Something happened in the health sector. We partnered with the church, and we fully implemented the MDGs. He was acknowledged as the best governor in MDGs’ implementation.
And even when he had left office, when the MDGs were giving way to SDGs and the programme was winding down, he was invited by the United Nations to New York to come and share his MDGs experience. First, he won the best governor in MDGs. Then, globally he was recognised. Because I was the chairman of MDGs I went with him, and it was an awesome experience. They asked him so many questions like what did you do? How did you achieve so much in MDGs? Honestly, I look back on those years and I think Anambra was at its most brilliant and shining in all sectors. And because AIDS was a multi-sectoral strategy, we were working in every single sector. We had the best network of roads because he thought if he didn’t open-up the rural areas, things wouldn’t go well. So, we had the best network of roads. We had the best schools. And we had the best healthcare sector.
You said it was about six months into the administration during the first tenure that he was impeached, right?
Yes. That is true. But do you know why?
You can tell us now.
Well, I think it was frugality. Sometimes people say he is stingy. But for those of us who knew what he was doing with the money, it wasn’t miserliness. He was just a very accountable and frugal person. He utilised every kobo of government money for government work. So, when we came in, there was so much fighting. They had burnt the Government House; burnt the Governor’s Office and I hear they budgeted so much to rebuild them. Over N400 million or thereabout was budgeted to repair the Governor’s Lodge and the Government House. And this man came from nowhere and got the job done. He repaired everything with less than one-tenth of what they voted. The House of Assembly said he didn’t go through due process, but remember the House was all PDP? We didn’t even have one single House member. So, that was it. So, they said he didn’t do due process, why can he just come in and cut the budget without approval. That was the reason we heard for the impeachment.
Can you tell us what happened after the impeachment?
When they impeached him, everybody expected that he was going to leave. The day he came to say goodbye, we were in an exco meeting and he came in and said that he was going. He told us to keep working with his deputy.
You mean Virginia Etiaba?
Yes, Mrs. Etiaba and we were having an exco meeting, he (Obi) came in to say goodbye. We were weeping because we said ‘Oh! My goodness, what kind of thing is this? A man who was beginning to do well and they removed.’ He said, ‘No, no, don’t cry, I’m going to fight this thing. I will come back.’ Some of us laughed. I mean some of the commissioners laughed. They said, ‘We’re not sure he knows where he’s going.’ Nobody expected him to come back. It was unheard of, but he went to the court and the case went all the way to the Appeal and the Supreme courts in Abuja. He won and was reinstated.
Now, let me ask you a question here.
Go ahead
All through the time he was in court, did he ever come back to you people or did the Etiaba administration support him in any way?
Honestly, I don’t know. He asked all of us not to leave and that he was coming back. That’s all I remember now. I don’t know who supported or who didn’t support. There was a lot of rumor mongering about who impeached him and so many allegations.
I mean, as commissioners who were appointed by him, did he ever come back to you for any form of support or anything or he just went away and fought his battle alone?
No, he just left and said we should go on working with the deputy governor and that he was coming back. Many people didn’t believe him, but we stayed on. So, he eventually won the case. I think the case took three months. And by the time he came back, the 2007 election preparations were in top gear. They said he had already spent four years. So, they began preparing for an election. I think he even wanted to contest the election, but they won’t allow him. That was how the election went on and Andy Uba was declared winner.
You mean they did not allow him to contest?
No, he wasn’t allowed to contest.
Even in APGA?
In APGA, yes. He was in APGA, and by the time…
Wait. So, APGA did not allow him to contest?
No. Maybe it was INEC because they had already submitted the list of candidates. I think the contestants were already there. I don’t remember who it was that was going to contest for APGA. But it was Andy Uba of PDP that was declared the winner. At that time, everybody said this man is finished because there was a new governor. He went back to court (laughs). My goodness! He went to the court and said, ‘can you interpret this action here? I was elected for a four-year period; it wasn’t my fault that anybody denied me my mandate. I had four years to serve as governor and that’s what the Constitution says.’ Soon after, the court interpreted the law and ruled that he had just done less than one year, and he must go back to complete his term. That was how he came back
The Federal Government has renewed a multi-million dollar pipeline surveillance contract to a former militant leader and Commander of the defunct Movement for Emancipation of Niger Delta (MEND), Government Ekpemupolo, aka Tompolo.
It was gathered that the government and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Limited signed the deal with Tompolo to end illegal bunkering, illegal refining and other forms of oil theft in the Niger Delta.
A source close to Tompolo, who spoke to Nation newspaper in confidence, said the deal was worth over N4billion monthly.
However, the figure and details of the contract could not be immediately confirmed officially as of press time.
The source said the former MEND commander, known for his creek credibility, will monitor and oversee other surveillance contracts, contractors and their activities in the entire Niger Delta.
He said it was a similar role Tompolo played during the former administration of President Goodluck Jonathan when Diezani Alison-Madueke was the Minister of Petroleum.
“The government merely reviewed and restored his old contract.
“Before the cancellation of his contract, the arrangements he put in place tackled illegal bunkering and increased production quota to over two million barrels per day.
“But the new government cancelled the contract, declared him wanted and he was later exonerated of all wrongdoings.
“They have realised the need to bring him back because currently, the country is losing over 500,000 barrels per day to illegal bunkering”, he said.
The source said the new deal was brokered by the Minister of State for Petroleum, Chief Timipre Sylva and some NNPC top officials including the Group Executive Director, Upstream, Adokiye Tombomelye.
He said NNPC as a new profit-making venture was determined to curb all illegal activities affecting its operations and making it run at a loss every month.
The source said Tompolo held a crucial stakeholders’ meeting in his Oporoza country home in the Gbaramatu Kingdom, Delta State on Wednesday.
He said a mammoth crowd of stakeholders from the Niger Delta, especially Bayelsa State, turned up for the meeting. He said the number in attendance was over 5000.
He named persons at the meeting as former presidents of the Ijaw Youths Council (IYC) Worldwide, Dr. Chris Ekiyor, Udengs Eradiri and Eric Omare; priests of Egbesu, Ijaw religious organisation, led by Apostle Bodmas Kemepadei; leaders of all youth groups in the Niger Delta, heads of notorious cult groups in the region among others.
He said prominent among those in attendance were former unit commanders of MEND such as Eris Paul, aka General Oguboss; Pius Wareyal, aka General Pius; Joshua Macaiver, Pastor Reuben Wilson, Young Shall Grow and all the second phase “generals”.
He said: “Tompolo brought back all his former commanders in MEND and extended invitations to youth leaders from all the warring cult groups in the states to attend the meeting. The attendance was massive.”
A former IYC President, Udengs Eradiri, confirmed attending the meeting, describing the new arrangement as a welcomed development.
Eradiri said it was heartwarming that the Federal Government has involved communities in the protection of pipelines crisscrossing their domains.
“I believe that this new deal will work because Tompolo has the network and credibility to act as a bridge between the communities and the government.
“It was the same arrangement under the previous administration of President Goodluck Jonathan that sustained an increase in oil production up to over two million barrels per day. It will work this time,” he said.
A former IYC President and spokesman, Eric Omare, said the Federal Government reviewed a similar arrangement that existed during Jonathan’s era and expanded the scope of Tompolo.
He said the resort to a community-based approach remained the best way of curbing illegal bunkering and refining of oil in the region.
Omare said: “This is what many of us have been advocating – a community-based approach – because Tompolo cannot work with outsiders.
“He will work with community people and that was demonstrated in his consultative meetings with some of the stakeholders.
“Once there is the consciousness of stakeholders at the community levels that the illegal bunkering is not in our interest because of its environmental consequences, 50 per cent of the problem is solved. Another aspect is to address the associated economic issues.
“In Jonathan’s era, the scope was not as wide as it is given to him now. Of all the persons engaged at that time, he was the one who came out and delivered on the assignment.
“Perhaps, those in the authority have taken note of that and decided to give him a wider scope to manage.”
A Priest of Egbesu, Apostle Bodmas Kemepadei, confirmed the deal, saying already some illegal bunkering operators were holding consultations with Tompolo to surrender their illegality.
He said: “This arrangement will work. It worked before and it will surely work again. The reason why illegal bunkering has lingered for this long is that there were no credible persons that could mediate between the people and the government, people they could trust.
“But now Tompolo is filling that gap. As I speak to you those operating illegal bunkering are now coming out to surrender. They are also discussing what is in for them.
“We believe that in the coming days more persons will come out and the issue of oil theft will be tackled.
“It may not be completely eradicated, but Tompolo will achieve 95 per cent.”
The Governor of Anambra State, Prof. Charles Chukwuma Soludo has insisted that the promotions and occupation of any position in the state would be strictly on merit.
Gov. Soludo said his administration would maintain transparency and due process in discharging his responsibilities, especially as it concerned the welfare and progress of civil servants.
Soludo made it known through his Chief Press Secretary, Christian Aburime, while briefing journalists at his office, at the Government House, Awka.
Aburime was reacting to the misinformation on social media that the planned examination for the promotion into the position of permanent secretaries in the state, slated to hold on August 24 is a sham.
The Anambra State Head of Service, Barr. Theodora Igwegbe, had in her release announced for the promotion exam into the position of permanent secretaries.
Barr. Igwegbe in her release said, “Following the call for applications for the appointment of Permanent Secretaries with the Anambra State Government, the state government invites the shortlisted applicants to a written test.
“The written test is scheduled to hold as stated, date: 24th August 2022, time: 9 am Prompt, venue: Staff Development Centre behind Government House, Awka, Anambra State.
“Applicants are advised to come along with the original and photocopies of their credentials and other relevant documents.
“This process will be managed by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) with support from the Office of the Head of Service of Anambra State.”
